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Who is the author of Harivarasanam?

Harivarasanam song is sung when doors of the sanctum sanctorum of the SabarimalaAyyappaTemple is closed for the day at night. This divine song which drenches the eyes of Ayyappa devotees in tears was written Kumbakudi Kulathur Iyer. Harivarasanam lyrics were composed in 1950. Kumbakudi Kulathur Iyer used to sing it daily when the temple doors were closed after performing the Athazapuja – serving the last meal of the day to Ayyappa. Today it is known as the Urakku Pattu – or the song that sends Ayyappa to sleep.

In the beginning, the main priest used to play flute while closing the doors of the temple. Harivarasanam became the Urakku Pattu of Ayyappa after the infamous fire incident in the 50s, which burn down the old temple. When the new temple was built and the pujas commenced, Harivarasanam was inducted as the Urakku Pattu – the song to send Ayyappa to sleep.

Swami Vimochananda and Vadakatham Ishwaran Namboodiri (who was the then melsanthi – chief priest) was responsible for making Harivarasanam the Urakku Pattu of Ayyappa.

Today, the chief priest and the other priests stand on both the sides of Ayyappa idol and recite the Harivarasanam. While singing the song one by one the priest exits the Sanctum Sanctorum without making noise. When the song is about halfway through, the chief priest puts off each lamp in the sanctum sanctorum. When the final line is sung, the chief priest closes the door of the Sanctum Sanctorum and locks it.

It is the wish of every Ayyappa devotee to present at the Sannidhanam when Harivarasanam is rendered. The emotion that it creates on devotees is unexplainable.